Saturday, February 26, 2011

Sounds odd, I know, but remember that when I was a kid the world revolved around Smokey and the Bandit. So, you were the slap sticky Sheriff, the runaway bride, the player in a sports car or the truck driver.

Now that you've read all of that you might think my trucking aspirations seem even less appropriate: How is it that I identified with the skinny guy driving the big rig?

Because, my friends, he was the only one with a dog!

If the Bandit's sidekick had been a big black lab, or the Sheriff's chase car came with a droopy-faced hound dog: Well, honestly things wouldn't be much different except I'd be here now telling you how I wanted to be a criminal or a Sheriff.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Had I never learned anything at all from the Compendium except Mr. Holtz's alcohol ink-colored metals technique I still would have been giddy with excitement!

And so my brain went to work on possibilities when our Lovely Linda at Studio L3 announced this technique, found on page 56 of The Book, as the week's challenge.

Metal bits of various sizes and shapes passed through my mind, birds and book plates, tokens, foliage and sprockets: Alas, though the technique is a favorite, I found no inspiration for a project.

Luckily roof flashing warbled in the background, louder and louder until I finally gave in and ran a chunk through the Cuttlebug atop a Sizzix Alterations Tattered Florals die.

This essentially embossed the metal: I was able to remove the flower shapes, but they didn't separate instantly as paper die cuts.

Then, as so often happens because it annoys the crap out of me: My Guy offered an ingenious suggestion. Cut apart a soda can for a thinner, more pliable metal (could you hear me slapping my forehead?).

Tada! Instant metal flowers!

Of course, the most exciting part is that while a standard soda can results in a bit of metal that isn't quite big enough to cut all four Florals flowers ... surely you know what's coming next ... a Guinness can fits nearly perfectly!

Is there any problem that Guinness can not solve? I think not.

So, we've got here a part roof flashing, part soda can flower with multiple alcohol ink colors. A hitch holds it all together, with a magnet glued onto the back and a memo pin to carry a message for the recipient.

I intend to spend all day tomorrow making more and more and more of these in different styles, so I hope all of my friends like them (everyone will be forced to take one or two because what the hell would I do with a bunch of these ... my fridge is already covered in magnetic art).

Anyhow, while I'm busy hacking up Guinness cans, run off to your own craft space and create a piece for Linda's Compendium Challenge! You've got until 8 p.m. Sunday, February 27 (Mountain time)!

Also I know I've been babbling to anyone who will listen about how busy I've been, and how sorry I am that I haven't been commenting and checking in much this week (or, I think, last week).

I am so appreciative and grateful for those of you who've continued stopping in and saying hello despite my rude inattention!

Hopefully you kind people will be awfully thrilled with this good news: The clouds are clearing and by Monday I'll again hassle all of you with my exclamation point-filled comments and beginner questions!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

I apologize to anyone who has been wondering why I haven't been politely responding to blog comments or even posting any new creations.

First, work has been consuming a lot of time (way more hours than those for which I'm paid, but such is life working for a non-profit).

Then My Guy ever-so-helpfully introduced me to Lord of the Rings On-line. What a stupid game. I don't know how many hours I've spent to figure that out ... and I have no idea how many more hours it'll take: But it's important to note that I'm at level 15 with 250 silver pieces and a horse. So, you know, I should only need to play for a few hundred more hours to realize it's a grind and boring and silly and totally uncreative.

Finally, about a week ago I discovered The Altered Alice challenges. Clearly I lack the time for another challenge piece. I also obviously lack the skill because, well just look at it, and the form spent several days sitting on my craft desk before I finally gathered the nerve to dive in this evening.

My dress form, handmade with copper and an altered card stock Plumbob Papercraft, makes me happy enough. With practice I could easily make some cool artsy dress forms using perhaps something more appropriate than the Plumbob base.

Come to think of it though, the entire creation does make me happy: After all, there's plenty of comedy in this piece.

Hopefully you can at least decipher that my sad little doll form is the Red Queen dress. No matter what, just don't think about Snow White (which is who I think of when viewing this dress that was obviously made by Dopey).

And, instead of Burton's Red Queen with the bulbous head, my queen is short of leg and long of torso. And chubby. And her royal photographer will surely be sentenced to the guillotine.

So, yeah. Aside from all of that, I like my Red Queen of the Stubby-Legged Kingdom.

I know you can do better: Take a minute to decide which better project you're going to complete and show it off at The Altered Alice.

Oh, and be patient with me for awhile more. I'll try to get back to everyone soon ... but can promise nothing until next week.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

I appreciate everyone who stops by, who comments and who follows my sometimes random and nearly always unintentionally off point blog!

It's always a great feeling to read what people have to say after I've posted a bit of art or a recipe or a random description of my garden -- though I know someone isn't being perfectly honest since not a single commenter has ever said "Why are you talking about this boring crap?"

So, it's with a big fat bloggy smile that I get to give away two prizes today to people who obviously like me too much to tell the truth (I'd love to give something to all of you, but that will have to come after I've won the lottery).

Thanks again and again to everyone who drops by -- I know we're all busy, so it means a lot when you share your time to read and comment!

OK winners: You have 24 hours to let me know, via e-mail, which of the offered companies you'd like your certificate to come from, and to confirm the e-mail address where I should send the e-certificate!

Editor's update: *******The second winner did not respond in time, so this prize will be saved for a future winner!

The fact is I'm happy to blather about stuff that has little, if anything, to do with the blog post I'm writing, but when it comes to adding text to an art piece ... well, you've seen what I do.

I'm only occasionally happy with my available phrase stamps, so I invent poems and lyrics (I say my available phrase stamps because although there are tons of good ones around ... I don't own many of them).

So my wordy inventions, people I'm telling you, they're tough to come up with. You only want Dr. Seuss-style rhymes if they actually are from Dr. Seuss. And text shouldn't swing over to Poe, either (I could be still not for the glimmering of the, ahm, glitter?).

All of which means it's fantastic to create something, in this case a paper plaque, without any words at all.

Instead we've got a funky background made with color wash and distress mist (homemade glimmer mist), a couple of K&Company paper flowers with Stampin' Up brad centers and a fragments charm with a very regal rabbit.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Lucky me, lucky me: About three months ago I bought an ekSuccess slim punch and saved the box in which it came.

The container has red flowers printed on clear packaging with the motto "sleek, lightweight, superior."

Aside from that second thing, of course, it's exactly ME.

Erm. At least the superior part is so me (yeah, I've got some maturing to do).

That, plus the guilt of adding to the landfill was too great, and the little box seemed so well made ... so here it has been sitting. Adorning my craft desk, then the office desk ... on to the bookshelves ... then finally the Artful Bag challenge for February arrived and TahDah!

The perfect little container to refurbish into a lovely floral and pink handbag! Yay!

I cut some Post-it brand craft paper to cover the less fortunate bits of the box, and then added a chunk of card stock on the interior back to create a backdrop for the super sumptuous Tattered Florals flower on the front.

That flower is created using a favorite technique from Tim Holtz's compendium: Alcohol ink agate on grunge. Delicious, isn't it?

I punched a few Fiskars flowers from a lighter pink Post-it craft paper, then popped in a little fleur de lis, ribbon handle with a key charm because, you know, this is a high-end handbag.

OK, now it's your turn. I know you're like me and have a pile of stuff around that was just "too good to throw away" ... grab something from the toppling mountain and dress it up for the February Artful Bag challenge!

What a relief that my Holtz collection has finally reached the point that I can try out whichever technique I want to ... instead of waiting for the challenge, then hoping I have the necessary products (or a local source to purchase them).

I don't mind using some non-Holtz products to add my own spin, but I get frustrated when there's no other choice (like nearly everybody alive ... I'm not good when cornered).

Anyhow a couple of weeks ago Yours Truly also found herself with the dishes done, a weekend in full bloom and an itch to try out Tim's Rusted enamel technique!

I'd been sort of dancing around waiting for this technique challenge to pop up since it's one of a handful of techniques that immediately caught my eye after purchasing the Compendium.

And whew was I correct! I'd like to turn everything into a gungy Rusted enamel project!

Hmmm ... how much embossing powder do you think I'd need to refinish the top on our kitchen table? I bet to afford that much I'd have to get a second job (which I might soon need to do anyway, ha ha).

Thanks for dropping in again this week for the Studio L3 Compendium Challenge! Make sure you get your creation finished and posted before 8 p.m. MST Sunday, February 13.

Until then, take a minute to check out my Blogaversary post! Follow and comment for a chance to win a gift certificate worth Ten Whole Dollars!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Sunday, February 6 is my blogaversary! That's right folks! It's been nearly one freakin' year! I know it seems as if it's been a lot longer the way I yammer on endlessly, but just think of how long it must seem for My Guy who has weathered more than six years with me!

In my one year here as a blogger I've learned a few things, including this: In Crafty Blog Land ... Blogaveraries are gift time! And damned if I'm not a fanatic about gifts!

The thing is, despite being a random blogger person and gift fanatic, I'm also a bit of stickler for manners and etiquette (I know, who would have imagined this considering my constant swearing) (just wait until my nieces grow up enough that I don't feel the need to type freakin' instead of, ahm, well, you know what I'll be typing in the future, right?).

Anyhow, my manners and etiquette stickler-ism means that while I'm bothered by blogaversary gifts that require "become a follower" as a caveat ... I'm going to require that a winner here be a follower (I hope you'll understand why as you read further).

I'm really annoyed by the concept that prior followers don't receive special treatment in these little blog gift times on our blogs. So, on my blog, anyone who is a follower as of the minute I post this bit and who leaves a comment on this post before February 13, 2011, is eligible to win by random pick a $15 gift certificate to eclectic Paperie, Simon Says Stamp or Alpha Stamps (winners' choice of certificate from the options listed) (I definitely know which of you are prior followers).

Plus, whoever becomes a follower after this post and who leaves a comment before February 13, 2011, is eligible to win by random pick a $10 gift certificate to eclectic Paperie, Simon Says Stamp or Alpha Stamps (winners' choice of certificate from the options listed).

The final caveat for my blogaversary gift time is this: Each winner has 24 hours from post time to respond to the announcement of having been named a winner; and I'll announce winners at some point on February 13 (who knows at what time folks, after all, this blog is for fun; in the meantime I work for a living).

If the winner of either pick hasn't responded within the first 24 hour period ... another winner will be chosen every 24 hours until a winner has responded (or until I'm tired of waiting and give the gift certificate to my mom "Hi Mom!" ... after all it's my blog and I know my mom loves presents).

I'm sure you newcomers are wondering: Why worry about becoming a follower and comment to perhaps win one lil' ol' $10 gift certificate? Because throughout the upcoming year I'll have other prizes and giveaways during which special treatment will be given to anyone who is already a follower.

Yup. There you go: I love my bloggy friends and followers and commenters despite not always being able to get back to everyone individually.

So, to show my love now and in the future ... anytime I host a giveaway ... prior followers will ALWAYS receive a bonus!

(p.s. the certificate sources I chose are based on personal experiences ... they are not hosts, supporters, advertisers, etc.)

This is me

My Dad likes to tell the story that when I was young people would wonder if I was "okay" ... and he would explain to them "You know how some people have their own drummer? She has her own band." I like to think that I still exist in that same somewhat oblivious joy and wonder ... Mom and Dad and My Guy would say that I do ... so who's to argue?